vncnus Chapter 52 was completed in one go, as fast as lightning!
Chapter 52 was completed in one go, as fast as lightning!
Zhou Xiao looked at her, his gaze gentle: "Can you help me pick an address? You have a good eye and know the area well."
"Okay." She nodded, her voice very soft.
After finishing their meal and heading back, the two had just stepped into the special operations headquarters when the phone rang.
Watanabe Ichiro's voice came through the receiver: "Director Zhou, please come to the Special Higher Police immediately."
"I'll be right there," Zhou Xiao replied readily.
He had just said goodbye at the municipal building in the morning, but was summoned there again in the afternoon. A thought crossed his mind: Could it be that Aoki had become suspicious?
The thought flashed through his mind, and he had already stepped out the door.
Special Higher Police Section Chief's Office.
Zhou Xiao glanced around as he entered—Watanabe stood solemnly to one side, while Aoki Takeshige sat behind a large rosewood table, an unlit cigar between his fingers.
"Section Chief, you wanted to see me?"
Aoki Takeshige slowly began, "Director Zhou, Watanabe just gave me a detailed report on your performance at Mayor Chen Mingfu's press conference. You were clear-headed and quick-witted; the Empire needs people like you."
"You have repeatedly performed outstanding feats during your time as an undercover agent in the Nanjing Military and Political Association; now, as the head of the Intelligence Department of the Special Operations Headquarters, you have demonstrated exceptional strategic acumen and tireless dedication. Therefore, the Special Higher Police have decided to formally commend you!"
"Thank you for your guidance, Section Chief."
Aoki Takeshige gestured for Watanabe to hand over the documents: "A confiscated villa on Qingke Road, originally belonging to a die-hard anti-Japanese activist, has been secretly executed. It is now under your name and will be used as your residence."
"As the powerful director of the Special Operations Headquarters, your residence naturally needs to be respectable. I want all those loyal to the Empire to understand that merit will be rewarded and loyalty will be rewarded."
A villa?
It's like having the wind at your command and the rain at your command.
He had barely mentioned "Zhou Mansion" when Aoki handed him the keys.
"Thank you for your kindness, Section Chief." Zhou Xiao lowered his eyes, his tone humble. "This is all within my duty."
Aoki Takeshige raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "Director Zhou is exceptionally talented, and the Empire has always cherished talent—there is also a new position waiting for you to take up."
Zhou Xiao straightened up, his heels snapped together, and his back was taut.
"In view of Zhou Xiao, the director of the intelligence department of the Special Operations Headquarters, who has repeatedly made outstanding achievements, made accurate judgments and used shrewd methods in recent operations, after joint deliberation by the Special Higher Police and the Special Affairs Committee, he is hereby promoted to a member of the Special Affairs Committee to oversee all intelligence deployment and special affairs supervision."
Zhou Xiao replied in a deep voice, "Yes, sir!"
Special Committee?
This was no ordinary government office—it was the central hub of all the intelligence systems under the Wang Jingwei regime, holding the lifeline of intelligence and wielding the power of purging. From No. 76 to the Special Operations Headquarters, from the district stations to the undercover groups, all organizations with the word "Special" in their names were nominally required to obey its orders; the office with the bronze plaque on the third floor of the municipal building, in the east wing, was its true central location.
Zhou Xiao knew perfectly well that Ming Lou in "The Disguiser" was the deputy in this very position. Now that he was in the same decision-making circle, with an additional title on his shoulders, he had an extra key in his hand—the coded telegrams intercepted by No. 76, the clues suppressed by the Special Operations Headquarters, and even the private remarks of municipal officials could now be legitimately accessed, inquired about, and supervised.
Promoted!
Moreover, the promotion was sudden and perfectly timed.
Aoki Takeshige raised his hand and patted Zhou Xiao's shoulder twice, his knuckles distinct and his strength steady: "Director Zhou, I truly value you. As long as you serve with sincerity, the Empire will reward you with glory and wealth."
He paused, his gaze suddenly turning cold, like a blade scraping across ice: "But you should also remember—the empire can give you everything, and it can also take everything away."
A stark warning.
Aoki Takeshige is adept at two tactics: sugar-coated daggers and smiling faces concealing sharp wit.
Zhou Xiao lowered his eyes and said calmly, "I will remember it."
He might not be able to fathom the scheming churning in Aoki's heart, but one thing was certain—he was no longer a drifter in the Special Higher Police, but had taken root; not only had he established himself, but he had also quietly spread deeper, like vines climbing a wall, silent yet unbreakable.
Aoki then entrusted him with several secret tasks, which Zhou Xiao agreed to one by one before taking his leave.
The moment he stepped out the door, he was no longer just "Director Zhou," but also "Committee Member Zhou." With each additional layer of identity, his cover became thicker, and his actions became more agile.
Crucially, the Special Committee's offices were located in the municipal building. This meant that he could now enter and exit the inner sanctum of power, enclosed by high gray stone walls—a place frequented only by "respectable" people in traditional Chinese jackets, gold-rimmed glasses, and carrying briefcases. Every casual conversation at a dinner party, every polite exchange in the elevator, every complaint in the break room—wasn't it all intelligence? Wasn't every opportunity for a breakthrough?
As soon as Zhou Xiao stepped out of the Special Higher Police Department's gate, Watanabe Ichiro leaned closer and whispered, "Section Chief, is this Zhou Xiao... really reliable?"
Aoki Takeshi twirled the silver button on his cuff and said slowly, "I never trust Chinese people easily. But this man is sharp-minded and decisive, and can be a sharp knife for us to dig out the Kuomintang's moles, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics' informants, the underground party's strongholds, and those anti-Japanese elements who are hiding in the shadows and biting people."
"If one day the knife becomes dull or the blade becomes dull, it will naturally need to be reforged."
"As for whether he is an anti-Japanese element, there is absolutely no clue at the moment. Therefore—it's not about trusting him, but about using him; it's not about giving him important positions, but about keeping him tied down!"
As soon as he said this, Aoki Takeshige's shrewdness was on full display.
But Zhou Xiao, by sheer coincidence, became the fox spirit who countered the old fox—his true skill lay in deceiving even the most discerning spy chief.
Having spent decades in the world of espionage, Aoki deeply adhered to an ironclad rule: agents don't trust people, not even their own shadows. He wouldn't hesitate to glance at the rim of the teacup offered by his personal adjutant, let alone his compatriots.
Watanabe Ichiro nodded slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "Section Chief, you're brilliant! This promotion, though ostensibly a reward, is in reality a touchstone."
"Not bad." Aoki Takeshige narrowed his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them, indicating that he had already made his plans.
Zhou Xiao drove away, the black sedan passing through the dense shade of sycamore trees, heading straight for the Special Operations Headquarters.
Amidst the low rumble of the engine, a clear notification suddenly echoed in my mind:
"Ding—Check-in task successfully completed! Traitor Chen Mingfu has been eliminated. Rewards have been issued. Activate?"
"Activate!"
「叮——恭喜宿主获得：忠诚辨识卡×1、智力跃升（+10）至140、行动积分5000、大黄鱼5根、定製怀表式袖珍手枪×1！」
Each reward comes with a brief description:
忠诚辨识卡：一次性精神类道具，存于意识深处。启用后可瞬时评估目标人物对宿主的忠诚信度，划分为四档——背叛（0–30）、中立（30–50）、忠诚（60–80）、死忠（80–100）。分数超80者，纵刀架颈、火焚家宅，亦不泄密。
Zhou Xiao's heart warmed – this thing was practically a lifesaver for infiltrators!
In the world of espionage, truth and falsehood are indistinguishable, friend and foe are hard to tell. Your spouse might be passing on intelligence, and your superior might have already betrayed you; within the enemy camp, there might be a hidden mole willing to take a bullet for you. For an undercover agent, one wrong step can lead to utter ruin. And this card is like lighting a lamp in the chaos.
"Good stuff!" He smiled slightly, the smile not reaching his eyes, but it warmed his heart.
Intelligence leaps to 140: The host's thinking speed, logical reasoning, and crisis prediction abilities all break through. According to international standards, 120 or above is excellent, and 140 is already a rare genius level—Einstein's test result was no more than this.
Zhou Xiao was already exceptionally intelligent, and now his thinking is like tempered steel, sharp and intimidating—which is like adding wings to a tiger for infiltration.
"At this rate, it's probably catching up with Einstein's brain circuits soon." He smiled slightly, a hint of certainty in his expression.
Who doesn't want to be smarter?
No, to be precise—who wouldn't want to be the kind of genius who can see through a situation at a glance and break through a deadly predicament with a single thought!
At this moment, Zhou Xiao is such a genius. As long as he makes good use of this keenness and insight, hides himself more deeply, and moves more steadily, success will almost come naturally.
Five thousand points, a heavy yellow croaker... these rewards are truly generous.
The system has rewarded him with a lot of gold bars. Zhou Xiao even calculated that with these, he would never have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of his life and would live a stable and respectable life.
But what truly warmed his heart was the pocket watch pistol.
Pocket Watch Pistol: A stealthy assassination weapon specially bestowed by the system. On the surface, it is just an elegant pocket watch; inside, however, lies a miniature firearm capable of taking lives at point-blank range.
As soon as he finished speaking, a heavy metal object quietly appeared in Zhou Xiao's pocket.
He took it out and looked at it. The brass case had a warm luster, the enamel dial was as delicate as glaze, and the second hand was ticking steadily. He tapped the watch cover with his fingertips and chuckled, "Sure enough, even the timekeeping is meticulous."
Switzerland is the birthplace of the pocket watch. When it was first invented, it became a standard accessory for the wrists of European elites. As the flames of war raged between the two world wars and precision mechanics advanced by leaps and bounds, the pocket watch also quietly transformed – it was fitted with firing mechanisms, concealed striking pins, and miniature chambers, turning into the "silent fangs" worn by secret agents.
However, the old-fashioned pocket watch gun had a fatal flaw: the movement was occupied by gun parts, and the hands stopped moving completely. Once it was discovered that the pocket watch was not working, the agent was essentially exposed to danger.
The one given by the system, however, was flawless—it was both a genuine pocket watch and a genuine pistol.
For someone of Zhou Xiao's prominent status and refined manners, it would be perfectly natural for him to wear a pocket watch at his waist, and it would not arouse any suspicion whatsoever.
He ran his fingertips along the cool watch case, his gaze calm: this was not just a timer, but a venomous fang that could bite into a vital spot at any moment.
The entire gun is only three centimeters long, perfectly embedded in the interlayer of the watch case, hidden very deep and used very cleverly. Opening the case, raising the wrist, and triggering the hidden spring—all done in one smooth motion, as fast as lightning.
Of course, due to its size limitations, it can only hold one bullet.
This round of rewards is just the right amount of generous.
Chen Mingfu, that sinister and ruthless fellow, did die a worthwhile death—though he is gone, he paved a wider, darker path for Zhou Xiao.
It counts, no matter how much, it leaves some weight behind.
Being promoted to an important position within the Special Higher Education Department meant a deeper level of infiltration and greater authority; with the system generously adding to the rewards, Zhou Xiao's nerves relaxed, and he felt as relaxed as the wind.
As soon as he stepped into the Special Operations Headquarters building, Feng Manna greeted him with a smile in her eyes: "Third Brother, what did Section Chief Aoki want to talk to you about? You look much more relaxed."